SJ Time!

I am not a fan of "Dancing with the Stars." Sorry, it is cheesy, boring, corny, too drawn out and the "stars" are rarely stars. And I don't care about ballroom dancing.

Still, LRK usually enjoys watching it, and I guess the new season is about to start up. Maybe hoping to generate a fleck of enthusiasm for the show on my end, she emailed me, "Look who is going to be on Dancing with the Stars," and included this link.

No doubt Shawn Johnson is a quality "get" for "DwtS." I will certainly amuse myself doing my "bad Shawn" impression when that plucky sparkplug of Americana competes. But the show will still stink.

Hulu, Hyleas and That One

I like Miami's Wild Dolphin formation.

Thanks to hulu for providing an alternative outlet to catch Heroes, since DWt"S" presently occupies the TINWA household tv Monday nights. Hopefully ABC makes Life on Mars available online, too, because I imagine E.R. winning the Thursday night TINWA tv slot after The Office/30 Rock.

Pennlive with a clutch sit-down with Olympic silver medalist heptathlete (and TINWA Who's Now Olympian) Hyleas Fountain. I'd love to be able to score some type of brief interview with Ms. Fountain to feature on this blog. We'll see.

All across America, something is stirring... That line gave me chills when I saw That One deliver it in late August. It's true. Check out the interesting, entertaining and uplifting piece on the people behind BO's ground game.

How about those hate-filled mobs at the McPalin rallies? Disturbing to say the least. (If you're unaware, where have you been? YouTube Strongsville, OH). Not surprising that hate-filled, racist people exist, but that a Senator and Governor would tolerate and encourage such behavior. And make hate and fear the focus of their campaign. Yeesh.

What's next on the Straight Hate Talk Express?

To quote That One (again), "It's easy to rile up a crowd by stoking anger and division. But that's not what we need right now in the United States. The times are too serious. The challenges are too great. The American people aren't looking for someone who can divide this country -- they're looking for someone who will lead it."

Hope Solo e Bom

Watching tv with BAH and LRK over the weekend and caught the Dodge commercial featuring the US Women's soccer team.



The ladies commandeer two Dodge Journeys and trek down to Rio de Janeiro for a rematch with Brazil? What - the Olympics did not count??

Funny how the one vehicle was watching the infamous Brazil 4-0 2008 World Cup white-washing. The girl quickly clicks off the tv.

Hope Solo was along for the ride. Wonder if she smiles a little inside every time she sees highlights of that match? Considering she was the primary reason the US won the August rematch with Brazil for Olympic gold, she must feel a little vindication.

We Are All Witnesses

Wow. So many times high expectations are met with a disappointing realization. But tonight, Barack Obama not only met expectations, he absolutely destroyed the barrier.

Nike totally needs to do an Obama spot following his magnificent masterpiece of an acceptance speech. Something along the lines of the "Witness" campaign. I'm watching it again.

+ I knew there was a reason I like Shawn Johnson. That plucky, firecracker of Americana lead the Pledge of Allegiance tonight at the DNC.

Olympics Overflow

Against my better judgement, I stayed up and watched the Team USA v. Spain gold medal game. Got into bed around 4:35 AM Sunday morning. What some talking heads and Coach K are calling the greatest international game ever was a roller coaster ride experience. All I know is if I was giving out a TINWA Clutch 5, it would be Kobe, Dwayne Wade, 'Melo, LeBron and The Bosh.

Check out the underdressed Craig Sager's post-game interview with Kobe and D-Wade. Yes, Kobe does say that when the fourth quarter rolled around, D-Wade told him to "let that mamba loose." That is so clutch.

+ Kudos to Mike Breen and Doug Collins for their excellent play-by-play and analysis throughout the Games.

+ Boo-urns to the refs, who were horrible, and Spain's euro trash play and theatrics.

+ The closing ceremonies were cool, but not as amazing as the opening extravaganza. Plus, the London segment was sub par at best. The Brits definitely have their work cut out for them to even maintain the same level of presentation and organization as China.

Final Olympics Hodgepodgery

Congrats to TINWA Who's Now Olympian Kim Glass - and the rest of the US women's volleyball team - on their hard-fought, silver medal-winning effort. The US fell short of the gold this morning v. Brazil, but thanks in part to Glass' Who's Nowsiness, they made it all the way to the gold medal game. That's a world class, Glass!

Note to News 8 nerd Matt Belanger: Glass went to Conestoga Valley High School, not Cumberland Valley like you said Saturday morning, dummy.

+ If/when the Redeem Team wins gold Sunday morning in Beijing, I proclaim the Marvin Gaye/Team USA Nike spot to be the best Nike spot ever. I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier, however, I recently converted Gaye's cool, soulful rendition onto the KreiPod. The Gaye version is unbeatable!

+ Respect to the US women's hoops team for throttling Australia for the gold Saturday. Four consecutive gold medals. 47-1 in Olympic play since 1984. Dominant. Further respect for giving Benedict Arnold Becky Hammon the harsh in the women's hoops semifinal.

+ China and NBC would like you to think the Beijing Games were a glorious success. But in his latest for The Magazine, Rick Reilly would like to point out a few things.

I have no idea what to expect for the Closing Ceremonies. I'm sure they will be cool. Overall, I'll miss the Olympics. But I look forward to getting my life back.

Olympic Drag

So I'm sitting here, watching the US women's volleyball team in the gold medal game, knowing full well they get rocked 3-1 by Brazil. Boo-urns to NBC for not airing the game live at 8:00 AM ET this morning. As the Games have gone by, I've grown increasingly dissatisfied with NBC's tape-delayed coverage.

To makes matters worse, the Redeem Team's gold medal run concludes tonight with a 2:30 AM ET gold medal game against Spain. NBC has no pull with Chinese Olympic officials regarding game times?

Thanks for the effort on both ends, NBC. Also, Costas stinks!

Back with a pro-Olympics post later/tomorrow.

More Olympics Hodgepodgery

Congrats to TINWA Who's Now Olympian Hyleas Fountain, who is clearly Who's Now as evidenced by her bronze silver! medal-winning effort in the women's heptathlon. Way to go, Hyleas!

+ I'm not going to say anything about USA men's basketball because I don't want to jinx them, but kudos to NBC for utilizing the clutch NBA on NBC intro music in its coverage of Team USA at the Olympics. Music to my ears.

+ Somebody should tell Spitz, clutch > epic

+ Nike hit the jackpot with their clutch Marvin Gaye soulfully sings the national anthem/Team USA spot. Preach!



Needs more Bosh, though... and less Kidd.

Olympics Hodgepodge

I think I saw a number of the Chinese "womens" gymnasts in that McDonald's ad featuring the little kids playing soccer. Suuuure, China... those girls will turn 16 this calender year. Just like that little girl really sang that song during the opening ceremonies. And all those fireworks were real. Sure...

+ Bela Karolyi is the Dick Vitale of gymnastics commentary.

+ Ask LRK - I do a pretty solid, and oftentimes funny, Shawn Johnson impression.

+ Gold medals to Rowdy Gaines (swimming) and Tim Daggett (gymnastics) for excellent color commentary. Karch Kiraly (beach volleyball) receives a bronze due to the presence of Chris Marlowe on play-by-play.

+ I said this before the swimming last night, "I'm selling Katie Hoff."

+ I'm buying Rebecca Soni, though.

In the Year 2000

Did we all travel into the future to view China's opening ceremonies? Did Senor Spielbergo produce that number? Wow, what an aesthetically stunning event. But did anyone else think for a second the flame lighter was going to plummet to the stadium floor after that hitch occurred when he started "running?" Yipes!

+ It was pretty late, but you missed out if you missed that electric mens 4x100 relay!

+ Haha - blame the economy if you want, Crocs. More and more people are adopting the TINWA p.o.v. that your footwear is dumb and highly unattractive.

Olympic This!

8-8-08... you might have heard???

We'll have our eyes on TINWA Who's Now Olympians Kim Glass and Hyleas Fountain, the KSU track assistant that's high jumping as well as the Redeem Team, women's volleyball, swimming, track & field and maybe diving.

While most people are poo-pooing the Olympics or simply not giving a Forbidden City, the TINWA household is down for the Games - even planning an opening ceremonies celebration fraught with Chinese food! We're not such big fans of China per se - those smoggy, energy-consuming, human rights-violating commies! But the spirit and competition of the Games outweighs any totalitarian government... or network over-saturation.

Ahead of the Curve

US national women's volleyball player and CV grad Kim Glass was officially named to the US Olympic women's volleyball team Wednesday. Best of luck and bring home the gold in Beijing, Ms. Glass!

Predictably, local outlets Lancaster Newspapers and WGAL 8 jumped on the bandwagon with stories and profiles regarding the lithe, wicked former Buckskin outside hitter. But can you really hop a bandwagon when said bandwagon has already left the hitching post?

Did somebody say "Who's Now!?"

Yes! It was TINWA that first broke Glass (haha) to astute and leading-edge readers over two weeks ago!

Rock Beats Medal

Was tuned into the US Olympic track and field trials Friday late night. At the tail end of the broadcast, NBC aired the women's 3,000 meter steeplechase (a race that featured the muse for that "Hey There Delilah" song). She finished last. Karma?

Anyway, Anna Willard (middle, with the pink streak of hair) won the race, cruising to victory after overtaking Jennifer Barringer (in the Colorado track uni) with a little over 1 lap to go in the race.

In the process, Willard set an American record and clinched a spot in the summer Olympics (along with Barringer and the other woman pictured). It was a pretty cool scene.

Immediately after crossing the finish line, Barringer approached Willard and said something. Willard smiled and raised her left arm, presenting her left hand for Barringer to view. Barringer looked and said, "That's beautiful!"

Willard recently got engaged. And superseding her record and their Olympics qualifying, Barringer wanted to see the ring.

Local Olympians - Who's Now

Summer Olympics, Beijing, 8.8.08, NBC family of networks. There's that.

Local NBC affiliate WGAL 8 is providing an assist to NBC Uni's Olympic hyping by running a weekly feature detailing a local person/athlete connected to the the Beijing Games or the Olympics, in general. Thus far, I've seen a segment on a photographer and a few segments on judges or volunteers (old people). Oh, and a 50m three position rifle girl. That's fine and relatively interesting, but who's now, WGAL?!?

I'll tell you who's now... locally:

• Kim Glass, US Women's Volleyball team outside hitter. Ms. Glass, a Conestoga Valley grad, crushed records at the University of Arizona where she was a 3-time All-American. Granted, she hasn't officially been named to the US team yet, but I think she's got a spot.
  


• Hyleas Fountain, heptathlete. Ms. Fountain, who has a pretty cool name, is a Central Dauphin East grad and wound up at the University of Georgia via Barton County Community College. She already earned her spot to compete in Beijing by winning 5 of the 7 heptathlon events at the US Trials while posting a personal best score of 6,667. She's also attempting to qualify for the long jump.

So come August, if you're watching the Olympics, keep your eyes peeled for these two Olympic athletes that WGAL is seemingly ignoring. They're Who's Now!

+ Brenner not seeking re-election! Out in '10. Where does the YC go from here?